Embracing Change...

Monday, December 31, 2018

Depending on when you read this, it could be my last post of 2018 or the first post of 2019! Either way, I hope you all had a fabulous Christmas and are looking forward to the New Year! As we all know, the New Year usually brings about change of some sort. Whether the change is positive or negative, we will all experience some sort of change...a new hairstyle, reorganization of our homes, changing the size of our waistband from extra large back down to somewhere around normal, adjusting to life without a loved one, loss of a job, moving to a new area, divorce...change occurs.

Change is not bad, it's just different. Unfortunately, most of us don't like change, we want things to say the same and we want to stay in our comfort zone. BUT...without change, how do we grow? Just a question to think on a bit.

While I will be moving some things around in the house and experimenting with some new decorating ideas, I will also be making some changes here on the blog...small changes. In addition to writing out some life goals for 2019, I also thought about some goals I wanted for the blog. One of the changes I will be making is offering a series of Life Hacks.

Each week, I will give you 5-7 life hacks...some you may know, some you may have never heard of, and some may be dumb as dirt. Either way, I'm offering them. Another goal I have for the blog is collaborating with other bloggers. I've done this occasionally over the years with blog hops and such, but I would like to start a regular monthly series of short posts with other bloggers...that goal is still in the works as I work out the details in my head and then put them to paper.

Another change I'm considering is whether or not I want to continue to force myself on Instagram. I feel as though I spend too much time worrying about how to grow my account...time I could be spending on blog projects and ideas. Social media and blogging take time and honestly trying to think of 47 bazillion hashtags for each photo I post exhausts me. Anyone else feel that way or am I the only fish swimming in that pond?

I have other ideas but have yet to bring them to full throttle...so watch out...

You know what? I have never yet used a hashtag. And I don't do Instagram. I decided it was too much work when I could be spending time working on my blog. I do love Pinterest and get a lot of referrals from there. But I just don't much bother with other social media. I've decided I don't have to jump on every new train that comes down the rail.Brenda

Those hashtags are such a pain…trying to remember groups to place my post in gives me a headache. I love the interaction of blogging and enjoy chatting with everyone. I enjoy Pinterest as well. I tried Twitter and abandoned it after a while….all of it is just too much sometimes. I still believe in “overkill” and I couldn’t agree with you more! Love and hugs!

I hear ya Benita...I realized a long time ago that I am not one of the super bloggers...I don't have the desire or the energy. My blog does not have affiliates either. At one of the blogging conferences, one of my mentors said I should blog ever single day...but I feel many of my readers do not have time to read me every single day...In the end, you have to decide what is best for you...what works for you and go with it. I have heard that instagram and Pinterest will be fading out (as facebook is) and the newest crazes, snap chat and reddit , just to name two, are the latest and greatest. True??? who knows? hash tags? I agree it takes a lot of time to come up with something a new reader will do a search on. And the paragraph headers Google insists upon? Sigh! I am tired already. LOLBottom line, I will read you my friend...and I am looking forward to your new ideas for the New Year!

I'm right there with you! When I first started, I tried writing a post every day and I burned out quickly! I mean, how much can you actually write about when you are writing 7 days a week?!? I don't like snap chat and don't do reddit either. Guess I will be left behind in that area. :-) It does wear a body out trying to decide how to manage social media and a blog. I don't advertise and until someone approaches me with some good income, I'm going to keep enjoying what I'm doing. It know some bloggers are leaving the blog family because it has become too demanding and takes too much time away from family. When that happens with me, I will leave it also. Trying to control the size of my rear-end from the amount of time I'm spending in front of the computer is already challenging enough...I don't need to add to it! :-) Thank you so much Kari! Love and hugs!

I am with you girlfriend on the IG stuff. I do post on there on occasion but I like the to blog so much more. I feel on Instagram you do not have the personal interaction with others like you do through blogging. Just my opinion. I know a lot of my fave bloggers have gone over to IG and I miss their blogs. I have not gotten into IG like others. I do not like that they have a algorithm to figure out who gets to be on your feed each day. I will keep my little blog going until I hear the crickets out there and no one is visiting anymore. I am glad you are going to continue to blog I love your posts. Happy New Year my sweet friend.Hugs,Kris

I used to enjoy Instagram before they made their posting changes. I could see all the new posts for that day. Now, I don't even see new posts for someone I follow until a few weeks later, IF I see them at all. I don't like that. I find that if I definitely want to see a post from one of you girls, I have to go to your account. Then, I find that I've missed 17 posts...it's just too much! I also don't like that some IG accounts have the same photo 27 times a month...I'm like, "I've already seen that"! I'm with you...I enjoy the blogging and chatting with friends and seeing what everyone else has going on. We can sit and wait on the crickets together...LOL. I love yours as well Kris and look forward to them! Happy New Year! Love and hugs to you!

I, for one, are very happy you are blogging again. I am on Instagram, mostly to keep with some folks. No hashtags or building up followers for this old gal. Benita, you write it, I will read it!😉 Happy New Year to you and yours!

Thank you so much Donna, you are too sweet! I appreciate it greatly! Yeah, that hashtag stuff to get followers is just a lot of work. Or the "follow-for-follow" that you follow them and no one follows you back...per THEIR rules...LOL I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and New Year! Love and hugs to you sweet friend!

Happy new year my friend. My new year change is a new house. We’re down to the finishing stuff up. Dan has been the major force dealing with the contractors and workers. Life is too short and I am too old. Lol. Dan has handled this stress better than me. I’m looking forward to my sewing/quilting studio. I do not do Instagram. I’m about to drop Facebook. I only look at quilting stuff and border collies. May you and Edward be bless in 2019. It’s here ready or not. The one thing I do try to do is a word a year. I have decided my word is shhhhhhh. I’m sometimes too opinionated and so shhhhhh it is. Love ya.

Happy New Year to you sweet friend!! I cannot wait to see the new house! I know it is amazing! I couldn't handle working with contractors and workers either, I would be frazzled. I'm excited for you both! Let me know when you move. I've picked a couple of words for the year...contentment, less and gratitude! You are not too opinionated! Love you!!

Looking forward to the new changes, Benita - although, honestly, I always enjoy reading your posts without any changes as well! I think for my blog it's time to clean up the sidebar, and try to post more consistently. It's easier right now during my slower season, but once wedding season gears up, all bets are off! Happy New Year, my friend!!

Thank you so much! I love your blog and the look! So pretty and colorful! I want to post more consistently also and I’m hoping that the collaborations, weekly hacks and a few other things will help me with that! Work is a killer for me, so I totally understand! 😊 Happy New Year to you! Love and hugs!

Hi,I enjoy your blog Benita. I agree with what Kris said about IG and blogging. IG and the way the feed comes to my account I do not like at all! Annoying. I too enjoy blogging over IG, more personal and we have a fun group of us who have made very special relationships.I am happy you are back to blogging.Looking forward to 2019 with you!Carla

Thank you so much Carla! I do enjoy blogging over IG as well...I hate the changes they made and it is frustrating for me to keep up with it all. I liked it the way it was before. I love the friends I've made through blogging and trying to chat with people on IG is just difficult! I'm looking forward to it with you also sweet friend! Love and hugs!!

You've just captured several good reasons for me not to even dabble in IG. I've really had no urge to, and I know it would just dilute my time elsewhere that I prefer to be. Sounds like your year will promise to be a good one, with enough challenge to keep you on your toes. I can't wait to read your life hacks. They will definitely be good, no doubt (even the dumb ones). ps - love that kisslock bag (Rousseau) on the chair, is that RH?Happy New Year, girlfriend!

IG used to be pretty cool…when it was primarily for photographers to post their photos AND before they changed their posting algorithm. I have been frustrated with it ever since they made the posting change. Something else I don’t care for is that people will post the same photo on their feed several times a week. I try to primarily follow bloggers, friends and documentary photographers, rather than those who just have IG accounts. I tried posting documentary photos to my account, but some of the blogger/home décor peeps dropped me. When I went back to home décor, some of the photographers dropped me…and I don’t want two accounts…one is difficult enough. Thank you so much on the bag. I have no idea really, I lost the tag I had with it during one of our moves. I saw it at a flea market and fell in love with it. 😊 Happy New Year to you sweet friend! Love and hugs!

Benita, I'm so happy to hear that you're focusing on goals for your blog, not Instagram! Lately it seems as if so many are thinking just the opposite. And I understand their feelings, every person has different goals, interests, and demands on their time. Sometimes I check friends' instagram recent photos--especially those of my children, naturally, but it's just not my cup of tea. I can't imagine not liking reading blogs though. I still love them. I do need breaks from the computer sometime, like over the holidays, but then I go back to them hungry to see what everyone is doing, telling and showing. I feel like a blog welcomes you into the home of the person writing it. And then again there are times when I have to just live, not write about it. I know you understand that!

Best of luck to you in exploring all the interests and goals you find in 2019, dear Benita,Dewena

Thank you so much! I’m trying to get organized for the New Year and working out a schedule helps me. If I have regular topics, then I’m more likely to get my posts written. While life happens and things don’t always fall into place, having a plan of action helps me. And yes, everyone has different goals and interests, and I do enjoy some of the features of IG, I’m beginning to feel that I’m running around on a sinking ship. Trying to find things to post there in additional to writing posts for the blog is beginning to frustrate me. I would rather let IG go than let the blog go. I really wanted to post my photography work on IG, but even that is becoming a hassle. You are so right, a blog does welcome someone into their home, their life, their thoughts, etc. IG just lets you throw a photo out there and hope that someone sees it or reads what you might have to say about it. I can’t write on IG like I can on the blog. Yes ma’am, I totally understand about having to get away from the computer and focus on other things. Life happens. Thank you again sweet friend! I’m looking forward to your posts from 2019 as well! Love and hugs to you!

What you said!! 😉 All of it...well, not the life hacks. I have none, but I can't wait to read yours. I'm always up for learning new things. And I can't wait to collaborate. Fun, fun, fun! Happy New Year friend! xo

LOL...they are silly but hopefully will make cute posts. :-) I'm looking forward to working with you and the other girls on some things. Just got go get the ducks in my world all going in the same direction! Happy New Year to you also sweet friend! Love and hugs!

Happy New Year Benita . Can’t believe 2018 has cane to end end. Yes change is necessary in order to grow in any area of life i believe . I catch myself longing for the days of old in different areas of my life but i know that it won’t be long thst the days I’m in will soon become those days of old . So I’m not counting the days but the moments ❤️ Hugs and blessings dear lady and wishing you the best with change for the New Year . Cindy

Happy New Year Cindy! I know! 2018 seems to have flown right on by! I also long for days gone by, wishing I knew then what I know now. :-) I suppose we all do that with the passing of each year...wanting time to slow down a little so we can enjoy it a little longer. Love and hugs to you and Cheers to a New Year!

Oh my, Benita, that Instagram is a challenge, isn't it? I know that no matter how much I worked it, I never could get my numbers to grow substantially. I don't see that I will ever reach that magic 10K with the swipe up feature. I would love to hear more about what you have in mind regarding collaborating with other bloggers! By the way, I host a number of tablescape blog hops during the year and would love to have you join us, let me know if that is something you might be interested in. Happy New Year!

YES! Instagram drives me crazy. I'm with you, I will never reach the magic numbers either! Just too much headache for that! I would love to join you for the tablescape blog hop and discuss some other things as well! Send me your email address! Happy New Year to you too! Hugs!